


Whiplash

by dogmatix



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Background Anakin/Padme, Eventual Threesome, F/M, Fluff, GFY, Hurt/Comfort, Jedi Council - Freeform, M/M, Multi, Various OCs - Freeform, clone culture, lots of injuries to go around
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-04
Updated: 2016-11-14
Packaged: 2018-08-19 10:42:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8202529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dogmatix/pseuds/dogmatix
Summary: The world doesn't stop just because you've won the war, and that goes double when the war might not actually be over.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Request-fic for @lovelycrookedobservation. Set at the beginning of RotS.
> 
> Many thanks to @norcumi and @morgynleri for help and being soundingboards for my rambling.

**Coruscant  
Sub-Orbital Space**

“No, Anakin! Let Oddball do his job so we can do ours!” Obi-Wan called out over the com, pulling Anakin’s attention back where it needed to be. The young Knight’s distraction, while understandable, was becoming more pronounced. Obi-Wan felt a flash of worry, but pushed it aside. He’d talk to Anakin about it later.

Blaster-fire flew around them like rain, and it pushed even their Jedi abilities to the limit to avoid it. Ahead of them was the _Invisible Hand_ , where Dooku held Chancellor Palpatine hostage.  Obi-Wan and Anakin _had_ to succeed in this rescue mission. Other concerns, even the lives of their men, were distractions they could ill afford.  Oddball died behind them, and Obi-Wan cursed internally.  Anakin losing men he knew personally had been hard on him even before Ahsoka and Pietro. Now? Obi-Wan was definitely going to have to talk to his former padawan after this.

They made it to the _Invisible Hand_. They even managed to make it to the bridge, where Palpatine was restrained. Then Dooku swanned in and everything went to shit.

* * *

  
“We’ll take him together,” Obi-Wan said, voice calm and even.

“I was about to say the same thing,” Anakin replied, keeping up the façade of banter to hide his burning rage and ever-present fear.  Palpatine sat trapped in the chair behind them.  Two of the four people Anakin loved most in all the world were in this room, and he could lose them both if things went badly.

Palpatine’s words of caution were well-intentioned, but ultimately useless; Obi-Wan and Anakin would take Dooku down, or the Republic was lost.  Igniting their lightsabers, the two Jedi faced off against the Sith lord.

It rapidly became clear that Dooku was just as serious about the fight as they were. Even together, even with Anakin’s fighting ability having grown in leaps and bounds over the course of the war, they were hard-pressed to hold their own against Dooku. Obi-Wan went down first, a Force-shove sending him careening into a bulkhead. Anakin tried to take advantage of the slim opening, but Dooku’s lightsaber was there to meet him, driving him back with ruthless precision.

“You have hate, you have anger,” Dooku taunted him as their lightsabers locked together, “but you don’t use them. What a tragic waste.”

Anakin stayed silent, all his attention focused on the fight.  He didn’t know what he would have done, if Obi-Wan hadn’t rejoined the fight. Obi-Wan’s lightsaber scorched a line along the back of Dooku’s tunic, but the wily Sith was already twisting away, getting out of range without so much as a blister

“Back for more, Obi-Wan?” Dooku asked, baring his teeth in dark grin.

“You know me, just can’t stay away.”

It was a good show of bravado, but Anakin could tell that Obi-Wan was favouring one leg – something was broken, or at the very least severely sprained. Dooku must have picked up on it too, because he concentrated his attacks on Obi-Wan.

Another Force-shove caught Anakin off-guard, sending him skidding over the floor to catch up hard against a metal strut.  Stunned, he had to force himself to breathe. Pushing himself upright with desperate strength, he called his lightsaber to him, but even as it smacked into his palm he heard Obi-Wan cry out.

Fear stopped Anakin’s heart for a second.  Visions of Obi-Wan dying or dead assaulted his mind.  Memories of his second padawan, Pietro, weren’t far behind.  Anakin jerked his head up. Obi-Wan was still alive. Scrambling away from Dooku, one arm clutched to his chest, but alive.

“Did you lose something, Master Kenobi?” Dooku taunted, mock-solicitous.  

With a shock, Anakin saw that Obi-Wan was missing his right arm from the elbow down. Igniting his lightsaber, Anakin rushed Dooku. He wasn’t going to let the Sith kill Obi-Wan. Their lightsabers met in a shriek of plasma, but Anakin’s brute strength was no match for Dooku’s fighting ability.

Even having lost his dominant hand, Obi-Wan took up his lightsaber again. Anakin wanted to scream at him to stay down, to run away.  Anakin’s moment of distraction gave Dooku the opening he needed, and Anakin found himself dangling two feet above the deck, his throat closed against the air he desperately needed.

“So eager to die,” Dooku said to Obi-Wan, sounding amused.

“Put him down!” Obi-Wan cried, dashing forward.

A Force-shove sent Obi-Wan to the ground, and Anakin was really starting to hate that move.  His vision was dimming around the edges. No. He couldn’t die here.  If he died, Obi-Wan died. Palpatine died.

The core of Anakin’s being rebelled.  He gave in to the fear, the rage, and the hate.  Grasping at the new power, he aimed it at Dooku in an instinctive shove. Let the bastard have a taste of his own medicine.

Anakin dropped to the floor hard, sweet air rushing into his lungs.  The Dark side boiled around him, singing of death and hate. Igniting his lightsaber once more, Anakin let the power flood through him, shoring up his exhausted reserves. He’d pay for it later, or he’d be dead. Either way he didn’t care, as long as Dooku was dead too.

His lightsaber scored a telling blow along Dooku’s thigh before the man could move out of range. The Sith and the Fallen Jedi met in a clash of blades, Dooku’s humour entirely gone. Good.

Obi-Wan didn’t try to fight alongside Anakin, but harried Dooku from the side, splitting the man’s attention.  Less than a minute later, Anakin’s lightsaber swept through one of Dooku’s arms, and on the backswing, severed his head completely.

They stood in stunned silence, the reality of the situation gradually sinking in.

“Bravo, Anakin,” Palpatine said, voice calm and even.  Anakin started.  Oh. He should release Palpatine…only there was no need. Palpatine stood free of the chair he’d been caught in. “Well done, indeed.”

* * *

  
“’Well done?’” Obi-Wan asked, aghast. “Chancellor, there is nothing ‘well-done’ about this.” Obi-Wan knew he’d misspoken as soon as he saw Anakin flinch.  Damn. He should have thought it through better, but his entire body was in one form of pain or another, from the screaming nerves of his severed arm to the pounding ache of his ankle.  He desperately wanted to lie down somewhere and pass out, but they didn’t have time.

“See?” Palpatine asked, turning to Anakin. “They will always fear you, now more than ever.”

“What are you talking about?” Obi-Wan asked, leaving politeness and decorum by the wayside. Force, was this what Palpatine had been filling Anakin’s head with?

“You have Fallen, Anakin, and the Jedi take a very dim view of that,” Palpatine said smoothly, not budging from the dais.

“That’s not true!” Obi-Wan said.  Anakin remained silent, which worried Obi-Wan greatly. Marshalling his reserves, he pushed the pain away. He didn’t know what was going on here, but it was clear that something was up.

“Isn’t it? ‘Once you use the dark side, forever will it dominate your destiny,’ I believe is how the saying goes?”

“I-“

“And Anakin has taken his first step. He knows the power of the Dark side now, he can feel it flowing through him, giving him strength.”

Obi-Wan glanced at Anakin, who looked pale and horrified, but in the Force, the Dark side still clung to him like a shroud.

“The Jedi were always jealous of your power,” Palpatine said, addressing Anakin directly again. “They coveted and feared it.  Now, you have an even greater power, and they will cut you down for it.  But I can show you how to use it, how to become even more powerful. I will never fear you, my friend.”

“What are you talking about?” Obi-Wan asked. He felt like there was something he should be realizing, but it was all happening too fast.  Then Palpatine dropped his shields. Obi-Wan hadn’t even realized Palpatine _had_ shields. And what lay under them….

“Little bit _slow_ today, Master Kenobi?”

“You’re the Sith Master.” Obi-Wan barely dared to say the words. He felt numb, his mind whirling. He thought he might throw up.

“Join me, Anakin.” Palpatine held out a hand. “Join me, and we will bring peace to the galaxy.”

Anakin wavered. Obi-Wan reached out, realized he was trying to use his right hand, switched to his left, and gripped Anakin’s shoulder with it.  “Anakin, he’s the Sith Master. He’s _responsible_ for the war, he has to be. Don’t let him fool you!  You _know_ I trust you. You know I will never abandon you.”

“Not even if I’m-“ Anakin’s voice broke.

“ _Never_.”

“He doesn’t trust you,” Palpatine said, scorn heavy in his voice. “He only thinks he does. After all, he doesn’t know about your mother-”

“No!” The Dark side swirled around Anakin, agitated.  Wide-eyed, he stared at Obi-Wan, something desperate in his ashen face. “I didn’t…Obi-Wan…”

“Your reaction tells me everything I need to know. Whatever happened, you know it was wrong, and you regret it. When you’re ready to talk, I’ll be here.”

“Not- Not enough. Not the way I should,” Anakin said, shame drawing his shoulders tight.

“Oh, how saccharine. Anakin, there’s no need for guilt. You did what needed to be done. As for Kenobi, he holds you back. He’s just as afraid of your power as all the others. They’ll never give you the respect or position you deserve. But I will. Now, join me.”

“If I join you,” Anakin said, never looking away from Obi-Wan, “Will you let Obi-Wan live?”

“Of course.” Palpatine’s voice as smooth and placating, every inch the politician.

“If you believe that, I have a starcruiser to sell you,” Obi-Wan said flatly, staring back at Anakin.

“We can’t win.” Anakin spoke softly, almost whispering.

It was true. Obi-Wan was down an arm, Anakin was Fallen, and both of them were exhausted.  “I would rather die by your side, than see you kneel to _that_.”  It was perhaps a selfish wish, but there it was.

The Force swirled around Anakin, Dark as much as it was anything else, but then it settled. Anakin turned to Palpatine. “I am a Jedi. And I always will be.”

“Pity,” Palpatine said, voice cold.

Obi-Wan, unburdened by any lingering friendship with Palpatine, tackled Anakin out of the way of Palpatine’s twin red lightsabers. “Run!” he shouted, and for once in his life, Anakin listened to his former Master.

“Not what I meant!” Obi-Wan amended as Anakin caught him in a bridal carry and bounded up the steps out into the corridor.  “Anakin, put me down!” Carrying him would slow Anakin down, and Palpatine was already hot on their heels.

“Not a chance!”

They pulled ahead with a burst of desperate speed, or maybe Palaptine just liked playing with his food. Anakin managed to raise Artoo on his com, and soon the blast doors were sliding closed behind them, giving them a little breathing room.

Leaning against a wall, Anakin caught his breath while Obi-Wan tried to think of something, anything they could do.

“We can’t fight him head on.”

“No- shit-” Anakin panted.

“We can’t involve the clones.”

“Why not? I thought- that was what they were- there for?”

Obi-Wan ignored the sharp edge to Anakin’s voice. “Palpatine is still the Supreme Commander of the military. If they see us going after him, they’ll go to his side, not ours.

“Crash ship?”

“We’re right over Coruscant. We’d kill thousands – tens of thousands.”

“Worth it,” Anakin said, Darkness and pain twisting around him in the Force.

“I- Maybe but…” Or was that only years of war talking? How could killing _tens of thousands_ of people be worth the death of one being?

“Never mind, I have an idea,” Anakin said. “Nobody dies but us and him.”

“I’m listening.”

* * *

  
It wouldn’t have worked if Palpatine had chosen escape instead of confrontation.  The Sith’s need to kill them himself was the tenuous thread by which the encounter hung, but Palpatine did not disappoint.

Obi-Wan had a good view of the room from where he was propped up against Artoo in a small doorway. He kept pain and exhaustion at bay with the Force and sheer will – this fight was only getting started.

Palpatine strode in through the main door, both lightsabers already lit, to find Anakin waiting for him on the walkway. If they talked, Obi-Wan was too far away to hear it. Raising their lightsabers, they leapt at each other.  The Dark side was a roaring beast in the large room, Anakin’s fury and despair clashing against Palpatine’s focused hatred.

Anakin drew on his new power recklessly, making Obi-Wan’s heart ache for his friend. It was a bad plan, but it was the best bad plan they had. Artoo booped softly behind him. Everything was in place. The alarms were disabled, the safeties were off, and the power was rising. They just needed a minute more. Anakin was flagging, and Palpatine’s next strike drew a line of scorched flesh along Anakin’s left arm.

Obi-Wan, sunk into the Force and making barely a ripple in it, lifted the blaster they’d appropriated from a droid. The shot winged through Palpatine’s robe. Obi-Wan didn’t know or care if it hit home.  He just had to keep Palpatine distracted. It was the same strategy he and Anakin had used on Dooku – Anakin as the main attacker, and Obi-Wan working to split their opponent’s attention. It wouldn’t have worked twice, but it didn’t need to. Palpatine deflected Obi-Wan’s next shot contemptuously, but it took one of his blades out of the fight against Anakin, even if only for a second.

Artoo booped again. The indicators on the reactors still read green, but there was a slight whine in the air now. Just a moment more.

Artoo booped, more urgently this time, and transmitting it to Anakin’s com as well. The whine of the one reactor rose sharply in pitch. Anakin made a last, desperate rush at Sidious. The blast caught them both and tossed them into the air like playthings. It was luck and nothing else that landed Anakin on the walkway in front of Obi-Wan, and slammed Palpatine against the wall instead.

It ached to pull on the Force, but Obi-Wan dragged a woozy Anakin towards him, ignoring everything else. He had a glimpse of Palpatine’s face, drawn in a rictus of hate, before Artoo slammed the door down just ahead of a second explosion. The door to the corridor slid halfway up before sticking, and now the alarms were starting to pick up, haltingly at first, but with rising volume.  Obi-Wan looked at the open corridor. Did it really matter?  Anakin groaned.

Anakin.

Obi-Wan pushed himself upright, leaning on Artoo, and bent down to help Anakin stand, almost collapsing again in the process.  A third explosion rocked the ship violently, and everything flickered.  The fact that Palpatine hadn’t carved the door open with his lightsabers made Obi-Wan dare to hope that their plan might have succeeded.

They stumbled down the corridor, Artoo closing each door behind them, as if that might spare them when the main reactor went. Obi-Wan felt himself fading. He was only vaguely conscious of a giant explosion and the tug of atmosphere leaving the corridor, but he was too far gone to fight any more.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The pace changes a bit here, since this is the aftermath of the big action stuff in ch1

**Coruscant  
Jedi Temple**

Commander Cody wove his way through the chaos of the Jedi temple’s medical center.  The aftermath of a battle in the skies of such a populated planet was never kind, and in a rare show of compassion, the Jedi Council had thrown open the doors of the Temple to those injured due to the fighting.

Falling debris and high-power shots from ion canons had inflicted the injuries that Cody saw being treated around him.  Fortunately, the GAR had been able to draw the wreckage of the _Invisible Hand_ away from Coruscant before its deteriorating orbit would have plunged it underbelly-first into heavily populated areas. The casualty list would have been a lot worse, in that case.

Right now, Cody wasn’t concerned with could-have-beens or what-ifs.  He was here for one person only. Spotting a Jedi medic, he honed in on them. “Sir!”

“What?” the Jedi turned from her datapad, giving Cody a dirty look.

“I’m looking for General Kenobi, do you know- ?”

“Good, someone got the dispatch at least,” she scowled. Cody hadn’t gotten anything, communications being as snarled as they were, but he only nodded.

“Is the General okay?”

“He’ll live,” the medic eeled her way through the chaos, Cody following in her wake like an ungainly AT-TE.  Cody’s first sight of Obi-Wan was a gut-punch.  Pale and still, Obi-Wan lay motionless in the bed, the stump of his missing arm bound in white gauze. His chest barely moved.

“Here’s a list of his injuries,” the medic said, shoving a data-reader into Cody’s hand. “He’s not to use the Force at all for at least a week, he’s not to stand or put any pressure on his ankle, and don’t remove the bandages from the arm, leg, or torso. Bring him back in a day.”

“Master Edi-Ha, do we have any extra beds in this ward?” a young Jedi interrupted, looking harried and with blood spattered on his sleeves.

“This one’s about to be available,” Master Edi-Ha said, motioning over someone with an empty stretcher. “Here, clone, take this and get Kenobi out of here. Padawan, help transfer Kenobi to the pallet.”

“Yes, Master,” the padawan said and proceeded to Force-lift Obi-Wan over to the pallet in one smooth motion. “Sorry, can you take it from here?” the padawan asked Cody.

“I’ve got it, sir,” Cody said, tucking the data-reader under one arm and gripping the pallet. Getting Obi-Wan out without knocking the pallet against a dozen things was hard, and Cody had to snarl at several people to get them out of the way, but he did it. Once away from the chaotic rush of the medbay, he took a moment to orient himself. He’d only visited Obi-Wan’s quarters twice before, but he thought he knew how to get there if he could get back down to the main corridor.  A bit of a roundabout way, but better than getting lost.

Obi-Wan was still asleep when Cody nudged the pallet into the apartment, and stayed that way even while Cody transferred him to the bed. They must have given him enough painkillers to knock out a bantha. Cody knew he should return the pallet to the medbay, but he paused, stroking a stray bit of hair off Obi-Wan’s forehead.  For the first time since the explosions that had gutted the _Invisible Hand_ , he allowed a wave of relief to overtake him. Leaning forward, he kissed his lover gently on the forehead. Alive. Obi-Wan was alive.

* * *

  
Obi-Wan was surprised to wake up.  He wasn’t sure why that was, but he felt like death warmed over, so that probably had something to do with it. He nuzzled closer to the warm body tucked against him.  Aches and a sharp throb from his ankle made him go still again.

“Mmobi-Wan?”

Cody. Obi-Wan blinked his eyes open, squinting at the dim light from the window. He was in his quarters, in the Jedi Temple. Oh. Memory settled into place.  The _Invisible Hand_. Dooku. _Palpatine_.

“Whr’s Anakin?” Force, what had happened? His last memory was a very confused and vague feeling of maybe being sucked out into space.

“I don’t know. I asked, but the only thing I was able to find out is that he’s ‘stable.’”

Alive, then. Somehow. “Would Appo know?”

“That’s who I asked,” Cody said, a note of disgust hidden beneath his usual professional tone. They both knew that Rex would have found out more. Appo might be competent, but he was far from a worthy substitute for Anakin’s Commander.

“I need to find him. I can’t- Anakin needs me.”

“No. You’re under strict orders not to use the Force at all – I read through the medical report, and you’ve got some kind of burnout. You’re also not allowed to put any weight on your ankle, which is fractured in so many places they gave up counting, and I think they’re seriously considering amputation or artificial bones.  You also have injuries from a piece of shrapnel though your abdomen, and if you move too much you could start bleeding internally.”

It was a daunting list of injuries.  Obi-Wan didn’t even remember the shrapnel, it must have happened after he passed out. “Oh, is that all?”

“You’re also missing an arm,” Cody said tartly. “I know I’ve let you get away with skirting medic’s orders sometimes, but I will actually tie you to the bed and pump you full of tranqs if you try to get up.”

“Understood,” Obi-Wan said, subdued. “But-“

“I will go find out what happened to Skywalker. The medics might be more helpful now that the medbay’s calmed down. You also have an appointment later today, so you won’t be going stir-crazy in here for too long.” Cody held up an injector. “I’m supposed to give you painkillers. They were actually scheduled for an hour ago, but I figured you’d want to be lucid when you woke up.”

Obi-Wan wanted to turn down the drugs, but his injuries weren’t insignificant, and the pain was already mounting as the previous dose left his system completely. “All right,” he sighed. “I know Anakin was….he’d Fallen to the Dark side. Please don’t spread that information around, but if they refuse to let you see him, that’s why. I’ll settle for a general report and knowing that he’s not harming himself.”

“Fallen. You mean like Dooku?”

“No, more…more like Ventress. He’s not our enemy, but…he might be confined. For his own safety.” Obi-Wan knew Cody didn’t quite understand, but he didn’t have the energy to give a better explanation.

“Got it.” Cody held up the injector. “Ready?”

Obi-Wan closed his eyes, squeezing Cody’s hand when it slipped into his. “Yes.” He felt the soft hiss against his neck. “And thank you.”

* * *

  
Time passed quickly when one was unconscious for most of it. Obi-Wan was frustrated, but he was also exhausted, in pain, and heartsick.  He’d been given a day to rest, barring a trip to the medical wing for surgery on his ankle. Cody hadn’t been able to get much out of the healers, but he’d confirmed that Anakin was alive and in isolation.  

They following day, Obi-Wan had been called on to give a brief summary of events to the Council, though he’d been in a float-chair with his leg elevated the entire time. He’d caused a bit of a stir when he’d insisted on giving his report only to Mace and Yoda, but the Council had complied.

He told them everything. They were shocked, of course. They admitted that they’d begun to suspect that Palpatine might be in league with the Sith Master, perhaps unknowingly. Obi-Wan was slightly annoyed that this was the first time he was hearing about any of this. Still, for them to find out that the Chancellor of the Republic had himself been the great evil they’d been searching for was difficult.

He’d gotten some information in return. Anakin had apparently gotten them into an escape pod. When it had landed on Coruscant, he’d staggered out of it with an unconscious Obi-Wan, screaming for help. Anakin hadn’t said anything about Palpatine being a Sith, but he’d admitted that Dooku and Palpatine were both dead. The public outcry had been massive.  Mace had had to do some quick damage control to stop ordinary citizens turning against the Jedi, hence the Temple opening its doors to help treat the wounded from the battle.  Bail Organa had stepped up to help too, holding a press conference to remind everyone of the Jedi’s loyalty to the Chancellor and the Republic, bringing up the Rako Hardeen mess as evidence.

Even thinking about it exhausted Obi-Wan, and the day wasn’t yet half-over.  Yoda must have sensed something, because he’d stopped Mace and sent Obi-Wan off to rest.  Obi-Wan would be sure to do just that, but first the medics wanted him to stop by so that they could evaluate his arm for a prosthetic.

Cody steered the float-chair, and Obi-Wan let him. Yoda had also told him that Anakin had been assigned a mind-healer, and was mostly co-operating and not harming himself. Obi-Wan was determined to get in to see his former padawan as soon as possible.  He’d asked Yoda to tell Anakin that Obi-Wan was healing.  It was a tenuous form of communication, but better than nothing.

“General, we’re here,” Cody said softly, one hand nudging Obi-wan’s left shoulder.

“Mm,” he replied. He opened scratchy eyes and forced them to focus. “’M awake.”

“I’m sure we can reschedule-”

“The sooner I’m patched up the sooner they’ll let me in to see Anakin,” Obi-Wan said, and that was that. The evaluation was comprehensive and professional, and all they required from Obi-Wan was to be awake and grunt every now and again. It took a toll on his diminished reserves, however much he wanted to deny it, but he managed.

Cody sat off to the side, speaking into his com, managing the deployment, assignments, and other details of the 212th.  He really needed to do something nice for Cody, he reflected.

Obi-Wan was looking forward to the painkillers by the time they were done at the healers, the previous dose having worn off somewhere in the last hour or two. Cody was efficient as always, but the hand brushing over his hair brought a small smile Obi-Wan’s lips. He was already drifting off when the door chime sounded.

“I’ll get it. You sleep,” Cody said firmly, untangling himself from the blankets and tucking them around a grumbling Obi-Wan.

“Wake me if y’need me,” Obi-Wan said, eyes still closed.

* * *

  
“Are the generals okay?” was the first words out of Rex’s mouth when Cody opened the door.

“They’re alive,” Cody said. “Come inside. You look like you could use a meal.”

“There wasn’t anything but rumours on military channels, and the civilian news kept saying they ‘couldn’t be reached for comment.’”  Rex pulled up a chair and sat, then scrubbed his hand over his face.

“So you came straight to General Skywalker’s quarters?”

“I thought this was Kenobi’s quarters?”

“They share,” Cody shrugged.

Rex shook his head. “I went to Appo, first. Damn di’kut hadn’t even been up to the Temple to ask.” Cody put a cup of tea in front of Rex, who wrapped his hands around it. “How are they?”

Cody took the seat opposite Rex. “Kenobi took some serious injuries, but he’s healing. Skywalker…” Damn. Obi-Wan had asked him not to talk about Skywalker’s condition. “He’s alive. He’s stable.”

Rex nodded.

“How did your mission go?”

“Does it matter?”

“It does if the Seps rally.”

“Trench is dead,” Rex said, grim satisfaction in his mirthless smile. “Really dead. Spat on the bastard’s corpse myself. Admiral Vos isn’t half bad once you get to know him. Crazy like a fox, though.”

Cody huffed a laugh. “No wonder he and the General are friends.” He gave Rex’s exhausted slump a once-over. “Look. Kenobi’s sleeping right now.  There’s no sense in you going back to barracks when you’re already here. Why don’t you take Skywalker’s quarters, and we can all figure out what to do later.”

Rex shook his head. “I can take the couch,” he volunteered.

“Don’t worry about it.” Cody stood, and put a hand on Rex’s shoulder. “Shower, then sleep. We’ll all feel better in the morning.”

* * *

  
Rex had to admit that a night’s sleep had helped. Knowing that Skywalker and Kenobi were alive eased some of the anxiety as well; if the Generals were alive, nothing was impossible.

It was pre-dawn, local time, so Rex decided to make some caf. It was one of the few things he could make without instructions. Clones in general didn’t get much opportunity to cook – food was something that came in wrappers or from the cafeteria.  Caf, though, Skywalker had insisted that Rex knew how to make that.

Cody wasn’t on the couch. Rex wondered if his vod had found another room to sleep in, or gone back to the barracks, though that seemed unlikely.  When the caff was hot and Cody still hadn’t shown up, Rex started to get curious. The sun, while not really up yet, was already brighter than the city lights, and Rex would have expected his vod to show up and check on Kenobi.

Did Cody expect Rex to do it? He sipped his caf and waited. Still no Cody. He didn’t want to com the man and wake him up if he didn’t have to.

Rex glanced at the door. Well, what was the harm? Setting his caf down, he catfooted to the door and pressed the release. It slid open with a soft hiss.

Cody lay stretched out next to Kenobi, one arm slung over the Jedi’s chest.  He glared blearily at Rex, who stood frozen in the doorway.

Cody closed his eyes and lay his head back down, still frowning. He waved Rex off with the hand slung over Kenobi’s chest. Heat rising in his cheeks, Rex was only too glad to follow the silent order.

Three minutes later, Cody emerged from Kenobi’s room.  Rex nodded at the cup of caf he’d made for his vod.

“You know it’s against regulations, right?” Rex asked before Cody had finished his first sip.

“No, Rex, Obi-Wan and I both managed to completely miss that we were breaking a major rule that could get Obi-Wan in serious trouble if anyone found out.”

Rex glared at Cody. “And you did it anyway! And- And when I told you that I- that I liked General Kenobi- Why didn’t you tell me? You _encouraged_ me!” Rex said, quiet but intense.

Cody sighed and took another long swallow of his caf. “Rex. It was war. Hells, it might still be war. I might die in the next battle. Any of us could. I couldn’t tell you because he’s my Commanding Officer and we _are_ breaking the rules.  I didn’t want to tell Obi-Wan about what you’d told me and break your confidence, but I couldn’t tell you about us without okaying it with Obi-Wan.”

Rex worked through that, then deflated a bit. “All right, but…”

“Rex. I thought, if Obi-Wan and I made it to the end of the war, maybe we could…work out some kind of circle arrangement, between the three of us, if Obi-Wan agreed to it.”

“Circle arrangement?” Rex stared. “Overlapping, or…”

“Whatever way worked,” Cody said.

“There’s…just one problem with that.”

Cody frowned. “What kind of problem?”

“I don’t think Jedi know about circles.”

“What do you mean they don’t know about circles?”

“I’ve known a General who…was involved with a civilian-”

“Obi-Wan knows about Skywalker and Amidala,” Cody said dryly.

“Right. Well, that makes this easier.  I don’t think Skywalker knows about circles – I’ve only ever overheard him discussing him and Amidala as an either-or situation, not as something that can expand or shrink or overlap the way circles do. Besides, you know how I read those holonovels-”

“Trashy romance novels.”

“- _holonovels_ , and I’ve only come across what seem to be circles a few times, and they’re never _called_ circles. Even then, it was hardly ever more than three or four people. At first I thought it was just to make the story more dramatic but…it’s too consistent. I think circles might be something that only we do, not everyone else.”

Cody looked at him blankly for a long moment. “Hells.”


	3. Chapter 3

Obi-Wan read Senator Amidala’s message. It was worded to sound like nothing more than an update on galactic matters, which Obi-Wan appreciated. Her request for word about ‘Knight Skywalker’s’ health might seem like nothing more than worry for a friend, to a casual glance. At least one of the pair knew how to be discreet.

The rest of her missive was concerned with politics and the war, and filled in some of the blanks that the Council’s briefing had skimmed. Grievous had indeed escaped, and nobody knew where he was, only that he probably had a few million battle-droids with him.  The Separatists were shouting at the Republic for killing Dooku, the Republic was yelling back about Palpatine, and both factions were scrambling to elect a new head. The upshot was that, unless Grievous popped out of the woodwork somewhere critical, the Republic had some time to pick up the pieces from the orbital battle, and the war had effectively ground to a halt for the moment.

Obi-Wan resisted the urge to try and scratch a forearm that wasn’t there.  The installation of the port for his prosthetic arm was going smoothly, but considering that he was already on some painkillers for his ankle, the healers had stuck to localized anesthesia. Not that it did much for the phantom-limb syndrome.  At least it gave him some time to catch up on his reading.  Anakin might be fascinated by mechanical things, but Obi-Wan really didn’t need to see them installing the bits and pieces into his arm.

He’d just finished replying to Senator Amidala when the healers announced that they were done. Since he had an appointment with another healer in a few minutes, he elected to remain in the room where they put him afterwards.

“Put that up or I’m going to take it away and wipe the entire memory,” Master Edi-Ha said with a scowl.

“Official Council business,” Obi-Wan retorted, pulling the data-reader closer to his chest. “Unless you’d like to explain to Mace why my paperwork is behind.”

“Delegate it to the clone.”

“Commander Cody is already handling the 212th Battalion’s affairs.”

“Then I suppose you don’t want to know the status of your ankle?” Edi-Ha said tartly.

“How soon will I be able to stand?”  She gave him a reproving glare, which he met with affected innocence.  Perhaps he should be less antagonistic, but being stuck in a chair or a bed was frustrating, and her insistence on calling Cody ‘the clone’ rubbed Obi-Wan the wrong way.

“The artificial bones are taking well, but it will be at _minimum_ two weeks before you can put any pressure on that ankle. I stress this because if you try it and undo all our hard work, you’ll end up right back here. If you manage to stay off the ankle for two weeks, you’ll have another month of physical therapy, although by that stage you should be able to use Force-healing to assist in the process, if you haven’t also managed to aggravate _that_ condition.”

Two weeks? Obi-Wan stared at her in horror. “But surely with bacta treatments…”

“That _is_ with bacta treatments. We came this close to amputating completely, and all your other injuries put that much more stress on your already exhausted body. I’m giving you a realistic timeframe, and recommending bed-rest and lots of sleep.”

“Is there any way I can see Anakin before that?”

“Not as long as you are under my care. ‘Bed-rest and lots of sleep’ does not include stressing yourself out by visiting a Fallen Jedi, no matter how well you know him.”

“I have to see Anakin.”

“No.”

Obi-Wan gritted his teeth. He was not going to wait two damn weeks to see Anakin because of a busted ankle.

Ten minutes of wheedling, begging, and arguing later, Master Edi-Ha still wasn’t budging.

A knock on the door interrupted them.  “Excuse me.” The newcomer was a solidly-built Zabrak. Her hair was back in a high ponytail, and starting to grey here and here.  By her robes, she was a Jedi.  “I’m Healer Omi Lest, I believe someone sent me a message?”

“I did, sir,” Cody said, standing. “You are General Skywalker’s medic – mindhealer – yes?”

“Yes, I am. And you are…?”

“Commander Cody, of the 212th.  Forgive me if I’ve overstepped, but I thought you and General Kenobi might have something to talk about.”

Obi-Wan could have kissed Cody. Was going to kiss Cody, as soon as he had the opportunity.  “I need to see Anakin.”

This time, the arguments were more productive.

* * *

 

Obi-Wan maneuvered his float-chair into Anakin’s room. He was tired, but he wanted to visit Anakin today, not tomorrow.

Anakin’s room was bare except for the bed and a low round seat for meditating.  A minimalist ‘fresher room without a door was set into one wall. There was one window with safety glass, too small for Anakin to fit through.

“What?” Anakin asked harsly without looking up.  He sat huddled at the head of the bed, back against the wall, knees drawn up and not looking around.

Obi-Wan swallowed around the lump in his throat. “Well, that’s a fine greeting-  Anakin! Easy, easy.”

Desperate joy beamed from Anakin’s face as he stopped himself short of a massive hug, hands fluttering just above Obi-Wan’s shoulders.  “You’re alive!”

“I gather I owe that to you,” Obi-Wan said, smiling at his former student and taking one of Anakin’s hands.  Healer Lest had warned him that Anakin had been curt and snappish at best. Had that only been the isolation and concern for Obi-Wan?

Given permission to touch, Anakin grasped Obi’s hand with both of his. “I can’t believe- I was so worried, I mean, they said you were alive but they wouldn’t let me see you and I’ve been going crazy in this damn box and- Oh Force, you’re alive.” Anakin blinked away tears, and Obi-Wan had to clear his throat before he could speak.

“It’s good to see you too. I can’t stay long, today, but I’ve got a few minutes.”

“I’d offer you a chair, but yours looks more comfortable than mine,” Anakin grinned, and for a moment it was as if everything were normal.

“We match, now,” Obi-Wan said, raising his amputated arm.

“You know, we really need to stop going to pieces,” Anakin said.

“Anakin, that’s horrible,” Obi-Wan said, but he couldn’t suppress a grin.

“Made you laugh, though,” Anakin grinned back. Letting go of Obi-Wan’s hand, he sat down on the meditation chair. “So, what’s been happening? How- how’s Padme?”

They talked, for a bit. Eventually they gravitated to discussing the fallout from the battle over Coruscant, and then the battle itself. That was when the visit took an ugly turn. Anakin, talking about the battle, seemed to sink in on himself. Obi-Wan, already tired and off his guard, and not knowing the signs, didn’t notice anything wrong until Anakin turned his face back towards Obi-Wan.

“It’s your fault, you know. You’re always so perfect, so strong, but not then, not when I needed you to be. If you hadn’t gotten your hand chopped off, if I hadn’t had to save our asses, I never would have Fallen, and Palpatine would still be alive. It’s _your_ fault!”

Anakin’s voice was filled with hatred and spite, and Obi-Wan had no response. He only sat, stunned. “Anakin…”

In the space of a breath, Anakin’s expression went from hate to anguish. “Oh Force, I didn’t mean it I didn’t mean it I’m sorry Obi-Wan, it’s not your fault, it’s not, I know that. Please believe me. You believe me right?“

There were tears in the corner of Anakin’s eyes, and Obi-Wan made himself dredge up a smile for his brother. “Of course, Anakin.”

Anakin’s eyes went hard, even as the tears tracked down his face. “Liar.”

Exhaustion dragged at Obi-Wan. “I think this visit is done. Goodbye, Anakin.”

He turned the float-chair around.  Behind him, Anakin apologized again, begging him not to go. The door slid shut on Anakin’s pleas.

Healer Lest and Cody were waiting in the corridor, seated in some uncomfortable looking chairs.

“I’m not- I’m not sure I did any good,” Obi-Wan confessed.

“You did,” she reassured him. “That’s the first time he’s shown any positive emotion.”  Obi-Wan stared at her numbly. She held up a pad, turning it to show an image feed from Anakin’s room. “He’s under observation.”

Oh. Right. He should have known that.

“Thank you for coming by. If you want to visit again – please don’t feel pressured to if you’re not up to it, your health is important as well, but if you do, let me know and I’ll schedule some time for it.”

Obi-Wan nodded. “Cody.” Immediately Cody was at his side.

“Should we head back to quarters, sir?”

“Yes, please.” Obi-Wan wanted nothing more than to wrap himself up in his lover and sleep for a week.

“Right away.”

* * *

  
Obi-Wan drifted up from a deep sleep. If he’d had any nightmares, he didn’t remember them. The pain from his ankle was nothing more than a dull throb, even though the painkillers must have all but worn off.

Lying next to him, forehead pressed against his shoulder, was Cody. Obi-Wan closed his eyes again and basked in the moment. No doubt the healers would be thrilled to know that he was capable of relaxing, Obi-Wan thought, lips twitching in a smile.

“Whaz funny?” Cody asked, eyes at a lazy half-mast.

Obi-Wan turned his head so that he could breathe in Cody’s warm scent. “Oh, just thinking that the healers would be shocked to know that I actually can relax. The troops too, probably.”

“Probably,” Cody said, echoing Obi-Wan’s smile. “Mm. There’s something I should tell you – not a bad thing,” Cody qualified his statement.  When every day saw new battles and new losses, specifying if you brought good news or bad was easier on everyone’s nerves.

“Oh?”

“Rex saw us, yesterday morning. I talked to him about it, and he’ll keep it secret, but he knows. About us, I mean.”

Obi-Wan huffed a resigned breath. “I suppose if we have to trust someone with it, Rex is one of the best options. He’s a good man.” Obi-wan smirked into Cody’s hair. “And he does have experience in it – he _has_ to know about Anakin and Senator Amidala.”

“Mmm.”

They lay in bed for a while longer, until a stripe of morning sunlight started to creep in through the window.  Soft noises from the common area indicated that Rex was up and about.

“Will you be visiting Skywalker again?” Cody’s tone was nonjudgmental.

Obi-Wan considered it. “Falling to the Dark side…common wisdom is that there’s no coming back from it.”

“But he’s being treated.”

“Quinlan Vos Fell, a few years go.”

Cody looked puzzled. He was naturally aware that Vos was a General in the GAR, and he’d seen Obi-Wan off personally when he’d left on a joint mission with Vos. “Then, common wisdom is wrong?”

“There are those who don’t believe Vos truly turned away from the Dark.”  Cody stayed silent.  Obi-Wan shook his head wearily. “I don’t know. I trust Vos. Anakin helped me fight Dooku and- and continued to do so even though it put him in danger. Those are not the actions of someone who has lost all allegiance to the Order.  He could have left me, could have run, but he didn’t. He didn’t abandon me then, and I’m not going to abandon him now.”

Cody nodded. “Do you want the painkillers before or after breakfast?”

“Help me into the chair, and I’ll decide after that.”  He waited until after breakfast – a mixed platter of what was on offer from the cafeteria, plus tea – and only took a half-dose.  

Obi-Wan surprised everyone by following the healers’ instructions and taking time to heal. The inactivity was frustrating, true, and Obi-Wan hardly knew what to do with the times when he was awake but had no battles to plan or training to engage in. On the other hand, it was a nice change not to be in constant mortal danger.  

He cut down on the painkillers at a reasonable rate, but not so quickly that he was in agony. The healers attached the prosthetic arm, which seemed to work well enough, though the sight of the metal limb sometimes gave Obi-Wan a bad turn.  He told himself sternly that he wasn’t turning into Grievous, no matter what that one very strange nightmare would have him believe. Cody and Rex took it in stride, though of course they knew several brothers who already had similar prosthetics. Anakin had poked and prodded at it, and had made Obi-Wan promise to let him tweak it later.  His busted ankle was healing about as quickly as could be expected.

What few Council meetings he attended, he did via holo.  The heretofore unknown hyper-lane that led straight to Coruscant was causing quite some consternation on the city-planet.  The status of the war might be in limbo, but one thing the Senate absolutely agreed on was that the GAR needed to sit in Coruscant’s skies as long as needed – a vigilant defense against any possible Seperatist incursions. What that meant for Obi-Wan was that the 212th and the 501st weren’t going anywhere for the moment.

The meetings with Anakin continued to be the most draining part of his day, but Obi-Wan refused to give those up.  He weathered his former padawan’s wild mood swings as best he could, even if it sometimes felt like he was drowning in Anakin’s emotions.

The highlight of Obi-Wan’s days was Cody and, increasingly, Rex.  With their Generals out of commission, Rex and Cody were running their respective units, and Cody confided in Obi-Wan that the entire 501st was relieved to have Rex back in command. Neither of the clones bothered to move out of the apartment, and mornings became communal affairs. Neither clone could cook, but the cafeteria at the Jedi Temple had much better offerings than the cafeteria on board a star cruiser, and so Rex would gather up a platter of whatever was on offer for them. Cody would make caf and tea, and all in all it was the most domestic situation Obi-Wan had experienced in years.

Both clones were purely professional on the job, but when they were off-duty, Cody had a deadpan humour he could use to devastating effect, and Rex seemed to hold a type of innocence that Obi-Wan would have expected the war to burn out of him long ago. It wasn’t ignorance – Obi-Wan could list a dozen tragedies and horrors that he and Rex had been through together – but rather a kind of hope.  The Jedi Master found himself drawn to it, and to Rex, who seemed to return the affection, from what Obi-Wan could sense in the Force.  It wasn’t a complication Obi-Wan wanted to pursue, however, since he was already with Cody, whom he loved very much, so the situation with Rex would remain platonic. Besides, Rex knew about Obi-Wan and Cody. Surely he wouldn’t hurt his brother like that?

“You’ve found something new to worry about,” Cody observed after they’d turned in one night.  They still had to be careful with Obi-Wan’s ankle, but it was healing apace, and in another few days Obi-Wan would be able to use Force-healing to nudge it along.

“Hm?”

“You’ve got that line,” Cody traced the crease between his lover’s eyebrows, “that means you’re worrying. What’s wrong?”

Obi-Wan considered blowing it off for a moment, but even with as little experience as he had with relationships, he knew that communication was key.  “I could be misreading the situation, but I think Rex might be attracted to me.”

“Mm, and are you attracted to him?”

“Cody, you have nothing to worry about,” Obi-Wan said, smiling softly and catching Cody’s hand in his to give it a quick kiss. “I’m not giving you up now.”

“That’s good, because I’m not giving you up, either,” Cody said, squeezing Obi-Wan’s hand. “I did promise Rex I’d ask you about this, though.”

“You- what?”

“Whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably not that,” Cody said with wry amusement.

“All right, I’m listening,” Obi-Wan said, cautious but curious.

“Do you know what a circle is, when it comes to us clones?”

Obi-Wan considered for a moment. “I suspect I don’t. Care to enlighten me?”

Cody nodded, and started talking. He outlined the clones’ lives, and how little control they had over where they were assigned, reassigned, or promoted to.  Cody didn’t know exactly when the term ‘circle’ had come into use, but it made sense in opposition to the regulated, precise designations such as ‘squad’ or ‘battalion,’ which had set numbers and ranks. Circles could grow to include however many they needed to, or shrink to only two.  They could overlap, such as when a clone might have a circle in one unit, but get promoted to another outfit, and become part of another circle, but the two circles might have no point in common except for that brother. Sex was often part of being in a circle, but not mandatory – the main point of a circle was intimacy.

“And jealously isn’t a problem? Nobody comes to blows over having to share their…circle-mate with others?”

Cody shrugged. “It happens, but not often. We usually handle it quietly and internally.”

“Internally to…the army?”

“To us clones, yes. We realized early on that the Kaminoans didn’t care what we did outside of training, as long as we did it quietly and performed to spec on the field.”

It was fascinating, and Obi could see the logic behind it.  The sense of group cohesion fostered among the clones, the imperative to leave no brother behind, and to work as one, would naturally lend itself to this kind of broad intimacy. Obi-Wan had a thought. “Cody… Do you have other…circles?”

“I do, yes. Or, I did. When I was a cadet, I had a circle. All except one of them are dead, and I haven’t seen CT-4882 since before I was promoted to command the 212th. I don’t know that he’s still alive, I just haven’t seen his number on the fatality lists, which isn’t conclusive.”

They had yet to let go of each other’s hand, so Obi-Wan gave Cody’s a reassuring squeeze.  Looking up at Obi-Wan, Cody gave him a wan smile.

“I also had a circle in the 212th, in the beginning.  They were in different outfits, and we didn’t see each other much after the war picked up.  Two of the four of us died, and my workload became too heavy to have time left over for much of anything else, so I quit that circle. Keeping my involvement with you secret was also…I didn’t like lying to the brother in my circle.

“You and I were already involved,” Obi-Wan said, not sure what the hells he was feeling.

“I swear I did not realize it was a problem,” Cody said, distress tinging his voice. “I didn’t know until Rex told me that only clones have circles.”

“You didn’t _know_ – ” Obi-Wan’s first reaction was hurt incredulity, but no, it made sense. When would Cody have had time to study up on other cultures’ practices, especially when he didn’t realize there was anything to study up on? He gave a strangled laugh. “Force, you’re a better Jedi than I am.”

“Obi-Wan?”

“We preach non-attachment, but dangle the possibility in front of me that my lover might have been seeing someone else, and I’m ready to lash out.”

Cody nuzzled closer, resting his forehead against Obi-Wan’s shoulder. “No, Obi-wan, you thought we had one type of agreement, and my actions went against that. It’s my fault.”

“It was an accident,” Obi-Wan said firmly, “and you are certainly not at fault.”

“If there’s anything I can do to make it up to you…” Cody trailed off, still radiating guilt.

Obi-Wan breathed out his resentment. “I’ll let you know, but I suspect it’ll have to wait until my ankle’s healed,” he teased.  That got a surprised huff of laughter from Cody.

A thought occurred to Obi-Wan. “Was Rex the one in your second circle?”

“Rex? No, it wasn’t him.”

It wasn’t exactly relief that Obi-Wan felt. He wasn’t even sure why he was asking, honestly. “Then why were you talking about circles with him?”

“Oh, uh. Actually, that was- ” Cody took a deep breath. “We were wondering, that is, I was wondering if the three of us could be a circle. This was before I knew about… Well.”

“Oh,” was all he could muster in response.

Cody stayed quiet. They were both tired, and Obi-Wan couldn’t think of anything else to say in any case, so they left it at that for the night.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obi-Wan's has a Bad Day.

A small part of Obi-Wan wanted to be angry at Cody for complicating things.  For all the danger that their relationship put both their careers in, being together was usually uncomplicated and gave both of them a much-needed source of support.  Finding out about the clone…custom, Obi-Wan supposed, of circles, was anything but uncomplicated.  That, on top of Obi-Wan’s own injuries and the situation with Anakin, made for a cranky Jedi. 

Obi-Wan told himself sternly not to be petulant.  It wasn’t Cody’s fault that circles existed, and the man himself didn’t seem to think that circles were complicated – why would he? He’d grown up with them, after all.

It took a day or two, but Obi-Wan came to terms with the new knowledge. Cody had asked, that next morning, if he should stay in the barracks for a while. Obi-Wan’s first instinct was that it would be difficult to explain to Rex without arousing suspicion, but of course they no longer needed to hide their relationship from Rex. Obi-Wan also found that he wanted Cody’s presence more than he wanted space to think.  He decided that as long as Cody was there, he might as well get more information about how circles worked, so he came up with some questions.

“Cody, are there such things as closed circles?” Obi-Wan asked over breakfast. It was just the two of them, Rex having been called away to deal with 501st matters.

“ _Closed_ circles?” Cody’s expression scrunched up. “You mean like...a circle that had a fixed number of brothers?”

“Yes, but also no other circles, no…overlapping circles.”

Cody’s blank look was all the answer Obi-Wan needed.  “No, I’ve never heard of anything like that. It kind of defeats the purpose of a circle, and…it’s not…” Cody searched for words. “It’s wrong. Or, not wrong but…circles are about…support.” He ducked his head. “Love.  A closed circle is…it would deny even the possibility of growth or change. It would be like saying something was forever.”

“And things can’t be forever?” Obi-Wan asked, wondering if he’d misunderstood the whole idea of what Cody wanted from a relationship.

“Of course not. Everyone dies.”

That brought Obi-Wan up short. “Dies,” he parroted.

“We were made for war,” Cody shrugged. “We were made to die. Our lives are meant to protect the Republic, that’s what we’re for.”

Obi-Wan opened his mouth, then closed it again. Most people, when they said ‘forever’ in regards to a relationship, didn’t actually conceptualize anything beyond their own lifetime.   For clones, raised with an intimate sense of their own mortality, created to be sacrificed for the peace of something larger than them, it was perfectly logical that their ‘forever’ would extend past their own lives, even when it came to relationships.

Obi-Wan also wanted to strangle Sifo-Dyas and all the Kaminoans involved in creating sentient beings for the express purpose of dying young in horrible situations.

Force. Was he being fair to Cody? The clones had so little to begin with; did Obi-Wan have the right to ask Cody to give up a part of his culture, just to placate Obi-Wan’s sensibilities? Clone culture might be new, maybe slightly cobbled-together and still growing, but it was theirs. The more Obi-Wan thought about it, the more it became apparent that circles encompassed both attachment and non-attachment – the ability to connect to someone without denying them further connections out of jealousy or fear.  The whole thing was turning Obi-Wan’s world on its head a bit.

The door chime sounded. “Enter,” Obi-Wan called.

It wasn’t another Jedi or Rex. Instead, the door opened to reveal Padme Amidala. “Obi-Wan,” she greeted. “Commander Cody.”

“Senator Amidala, please, come in. To what do we owe the honour?”

“I’m sorry for barging in so early in the morning, but the Senate has been…hectic, of late.” She seated herself.  She was dressed for the Senate, but in one of the less ostentatious outfits, one with a high waist and lots of flowing drapery, and a simple disc ornament holding her hair bun in place. Her eyes went to the skeletal metal prosthetic, then up to Obi-Wan’s face. “I’m glad to see you doing well.”

“Anakin made me promise to let him ‘fix’ it later,” Obi-Wan said with a small grin, rotating the wrist a bit.

“Speaking of Knight Skywalker, that’s actually, that’s what I’m here about.  I was hoping I could see him before today’s session started, and I thought you might be able to help.”

Oh dear. “Senator… What do you know about Anakin’s condition?”

“I’ve heard that he’s injured, and that he’s being treated. Is- How serious is it?”

“His injuries aren’t physical.” Obi-Wan made a snap decision. “Senator, I’m going to be frank. Cody and Rex and I are all aware of that you and Anakin are in a relationship.” He held up a hand at her alarmed look. “We’re not going to tell anyone. I’m only letting you know because what I’m about to tell you wouldn’t normally go beyond the Jedi, even to a friend.” He paused, gathering himself. “Anakin has Fallen to the Dark side. He’s…not harming himself, nor has he turned against the Order, but he is emotionally unstable.  He has been assigned a mind-healer, and he seems to be making progress in regaining control of himself, but given his strength in the Force, and that he would never forgive himself if he hurt you in any way, I’m afraid I’m going to have to veto visitation rights for you, at least for the moment.”

She pressed a hand to her stomach and took a deep breath, obviously shocked by the news. “Anakin wouldn’t hurt me.”

“He would never wish to, no.”

“But you think he might.” Accusation as much as question.

Obi-Wan softened his tone. “I could be wrong – I probably am wrong, but…yes. When Anakin’s recovery has progressed a bit more, we can discuss the matter again.  There is also the fact that Anakin is under observation, for his own safety.  Would he be able to be discreet, if you visited?”

Amidala took a moment to think that over, then slumped a fraction, eyes closing. “No. Probably not.”

Obi-Wan felt bad about keeping them apart, and he was well aware that he was being hypocritical in keeping Amidala from seeing Anakin, but things were simply too complicated and precarious. Amidala stayed a few minutes longer, catching up on Obi-Wan’s recovery and events in the temple before saying her goodbyes.  She did ask Obi-Wan to pass on her well-wishes to Anakin, which he promised to do.

Cody helped Obi-Wan into his float-chair, careful of the ankle.  “I look forward to the day when I can switch to crutches,” Obi-Wan grumbled. Cody just smiled and patted him on the shoulder.

They parted ways, and Obi-Wan headed over to the medical center. Upon arrival, he found someone sitting in a corridor, staring into space. He almost didn’t recognize her in the white headscarf and robe. “Barris Offee?” he blurted out.

She turned to him slowly, and gave him a small, seated bow. “Master Kenobi.”

Obi-Wan stared at her. He wasn’t sure if it was the unrelieved medical white, which made her face appear to float in a sea of nothing, or if it was the calm placidity in her expression, not a trace of fear or anger or even guilt or regret, but something sent a shiver down the back of his spine. “How- how are you doing?” he asked awkwardly.  He’d known she was being treated, her actions finally ascribed to madness instead of maliciousness.  With the war going, he hadn’t ever had the time – or, if he were honest with himself, the forgiveness – to follow up on her situation.

“I have seen the error of my ways, Master. With dedication and right thought, I hope to one day be worthy of being a Jedi again,” Offee replied.

The response was strange enough in and of itself, but Offee remained utterly placid throughout, showing not a trace of anything but the mildly pleasant emptiness. The shiver down Obi-Wan’s spine intensified. “Right. Well. I’ll…leave you to that, then.”  She gave him another shallow bow, and he hurried the chair onward.

Obi-Wan wasn’t sure if Anakin really was doing a bit better compared to right after he’d Fallen, or if it was just wishful thinking on Obi-Wan’s part. Even if he was right, he would have preferred to avoid mention of Senator Amidala, but he’d given his word. At first, everything seemed fine. Anakin brightened, and they spent a few minutes talking about Amidala.  Anakin managed to avoid blurting out that he was in a relationship with her. 

It was a good thing that Obi-Wan had a better idea of the warning signs.  Halfway through rehashing the first assassination attempts on Amidala, Anakin’s expression went pensive and closed. “You really like her, don’t you,” Anakin said.

Maybe it would all have been fine, but it was a risk Obi-Wan couldn’t take. Bracing himself, he said casually, “You’ll never believe who else I saw this morning.”

“What?” Anakin looked up, half pulled out of his spiral.

“Barriss Offee.”

It was like throwing himself under an AT-TE, and Obi-Wan hoped that Anakin would appreciate his old Master’s sacrifice when he calmed down.  Having instigated the snarling, sneering temper tantrum in Anakin, however, Obi-Wan wouldn’t have felt right fleeing the scene of the crime, and so it was thirty very long minutes later when a frazzled Obi-Wan extricated himself from the room, leaving behind an unhappy Anakin.

Healer Lest shook her head when Obi-Wan emerged, and waved him off. Usually she liked to discuss the session a bit, see if Obi-Wan could provide any insights through familiarity that she might have missed. Obi-Wan nodded tiredly and directed his float chair down the hall, only too glad to escape the medical wing. Offee was gone from her perch, and he felt the tension in his shoulders wind down another notch.

Force, it was barely past noon, and he was exhausted.  A nap sounded pretty good. His ankle throbbed, and he debated if he wanted to take a low dose of painkillers before he awkwardly hobbled from the chair into the bed.  Cody wouldn’t be back yet, but if Obi-Wan passed out until this evening, he might wake up to his lover cuddled up to him, which was just fine by him.

He let out an alarmed squawk as someone barreled around the corner, ricocheting off the float-chair. They let out a yell of their own and grabbed onto the chair at the same time, causing it to lurch around and list alarmingly to one side.

The tableau held for a moment, Obi-Wan staring into wide blue eyes.  Releasing the chair, which bobbed upright like a cork rising to the surface of a pond, his assailant scrambled upright. “Oh Force I’msorryI’msosorryIdidn’tmeanto- Master Obi-Wan?”

Ahsoka Tano stood before him, and he had nothing to say, the breath punched from his lungs by one thing too many. First Amidala, then Offee, then Anakin’s little meltdown, although to be fair, he’d instigated that one, and now here was Anakin’s former padawan. Well, one of them, anyway. It would have been a much stranger day if it had been Pietro, instead. Obi-Wan swallowed down a hysterical laugh.  Ahsoka was saying something, but he couldn’t make it out over the ringing in his ears. He felt unreal, as if he were outside his body.  Perhaps, he thought, he was finally having that breakdown that Master Edi-Ha had insisted would happen if he saw Anakin. Or maybe he was just going to throw up, that was also possible.

“Ahsoka be quiet!” He half-yelled. Her mouth snapped shut as if she’d been slapped, and Obi-Wan felt guilt twist his stomach. She’d probably been asking if he was well, but he just…needed a moment. “I’m. I’m sorry. It’s been a long day,” he added inanely.

“No, no, that’s okay, I’m the one who bumped into you,” Ahsoka said, waving her hands in negation. “I mean, I’m not even supposed to be here-” her mouth snapped shut again. “Um. Can we pretend I didn’t say that?”

Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes. He wanted to kick himself for not realizing. Ahsoka had been expelled from the Order, and no unauthorized persons were allowed in the Temple. Even the civilians who had been treated in the medical wing had been shuttled off to other hospitals by now. “Ahsoka, why are you here?”

“Because I had to make sure both of you were all right!” Her gaze went to his prosthetic, then skittered away.  She tugged at one of her lekku, anxiety drawing her brows together. “The news said that you and Anakin were injured, and then nothing after that. I- I was worried that they might be hushing things up for morale reasons or, or something.  So I came to check.”

“Well, if you’ve hacked the records enough to know where Anakin is, I’m sure you know that he’s in no immediate danger,” Obi-Wan said dryly.

“I know he’s in ‘observational containment,’ whatever that means,” Ahsoka scowled.

“It means he’s in a low-security room. If he wanted to break out, he’s certainly more than capable of it.”

Ahsoka shook her head. “I have to see him.”

“No, you don’t.” Obi-Wan didn’t know how Anakin would react to Ahsoka’s appearance. It might help his mental state, or it might not; he wasn’t going to prod that rancor today.

“He’s my Master.”

“You are no longer his padawan, nor are you part of the Jedi Order,” Obi-Wan said bluntly.  He was happy to see Ahsoka again – she had been almost as much his padawan as Anakin’s – but she brought with her a tangle of emotions, both good and bad, and Obi-Wan had hit his limit for upheavals for the day. “You made your choice, Ahsoka. Now you must live with it.”

The silence sat heavy between them, but at last Ahsoka nodded.  She let him escort her to the Temple’s gates.  When he requested her contact details, she looked hopeful, but he gave her no further crumbs, sending her on her way and making it clear to the guards who stood on watch that Ahsoka was not to be allowed entrance.

She’d gotten in somehow, though, and probably not through the main entrance. Obi-Wan sighed and punched up a contact on his com. “Cody.”

“General Kenobi.”  Cody was always a hundred percent professional when on the job, a discretion that Obi-Wan appreciated. “What can I do for you?”

“Can you spare three squads?” A dozen troopers should be enough to alert Obi-Wan if Ahsoka broke in.

“Yes, sir. Where would you like them?”

“Around Anakin’s room.”

“Did the Seps make an attempt on General Skywalker?” Cody asked, a shadow of outrage in his voice.

“No, they’d be protecting him from unwanted visitors.” Obi-Wan closed his eyes and took a breath. “Ahsoka is in town.”

“Commander Tano?” Cody asked, taken aback.

“She’s no longer in the army,” Obi-Wan said, and even he could hear the exhaustion in his voice.

There was a moment of silence. “Understood, General. I’ll dispatch three squads right away.”

“Thank you, Cody. Obi-Wan out.”

Back in his quarters, he contemplated sleeping in the float chair.  He’d regret the aches and pains he’d get from sleeping upright, he knew. Groaning, he half-hopped, half-dragged himself awkwardly from the chair to the bed.

Relaxing into the mattress, he breathed out as much tension as he could, and breathed in Cody’s scent. Less than a minute later, he was dead to the world.


	5. Chapter 5

The physical therapy for both his arm and ankle were overseen by Master Edi-Ha, who kept a close eye on Obi-Wan to make sure that he didn’t over-exert himself, sometimes muttering to herself about overachieving Jedi Masters.  The arm was easy, in comparison to the ankle – all Obi-Wan had to do was make sure that all the signals were getting through right and that his ability to handle objects like cups or lightsabers was good enough not to drop them. It was sometimes frustrating, but not on the level of pain and frustration that getting his ankle back in order was.

It wasn’t that Obi-Wan wanted to show off or ignore medical advice to satisfy his own pride.  Obi-Wan just…needed to up and about. After three weeks, the cleanup on Coruscant was mostly complete. That meant that as soon as the Senate or the Separatists got their acts together, the 212th or 501st could be shipped out with only a few hours’ notice, and Obi-Wan wasn’t about to let his troops go off into battle without him. It would reassure Anakin to know that Obi-Wan was keeping an eye on the 501st, too. Nobody wanted a repeat of Umbara.

One benefit of the prosthetic arm was that, with his ankle mostly healed, he was able to use crutches to get around instead of the float chair.  A few more days and he’d be off crutches entirely, according to Master Edi-Ha. He was even allowed to use the Force in small measure again.

Ahsoka was a thorny issue. She wanted to see Anakin, and chafed at Obi-Wan’s insistence that she couldn’t, yet.  Obi-Wan couldn’t tell her the whole truth of the situation, either. So, she knew that Anakin had suffered a kind of mental break, but not that he was Fallen.  Ahsoka knew he was withholding information – he’d admitted as much when she asked – but there was a limit to how much Obi-Wan was willing to play fast and loose with the rules. He’d broken them enough telling Amidala, and _she_ was in a relationship with Anakin.

Between physical therapy in the morning, visiting Anakin in the afternoon, and spending his evenings being visited by various Jedi, Amidala occasionally dropping by, and mending fences with Ahsoka, Obi-Wan had little time to spare to consider the situation with Cody and Rex. Fortunately, things seemed to be fairly stable there. Cody continued to be competent and supportive, and Rex continued to be competent and friendly. Obi-Wan was conflicted. He knew that neither Cody nor Rex would consider it strange for all three of them to be together, but it made Obi-Wan feel greedy to consider it.  Did he really deserve two lovers? Did he _want_ two lovers? Cody hadn’t come out and said it in so many words, but Obi-Wan trusted that he would restrict himself to only Obi-Wan, if he didn’t give explicit permission otherwise. Of course, that made Obi-Wan feel guilty for placing that kind of restriction on Cody.

Obi-Wan sighed and cuddled closer to his lover. Trapped between a rock and a hard place, both of his own making.

“Deep thoughts?” Cody asked, running his fingers lightly through Obi-Wan’s short hair.

“Chasing my own tail,” Obi-Wan said wryly.

“Anything I can help with?”

“I don’t know. How do you usually deal with problems?”

“I shoot them.”

Obi-Wan chuckled. “Not that kind of problem, unfortunately.” He thought for a moment. “But maybe there is something…” he added, voice going more serious.

Cody stopped petting his hair, picking up on that. “Yes?”

“You haven’t brought up circles again. Specifically, a potential one between the two of us and Rex.”

“I didn’t think you’d be interested,” Cody said, eyebrows going up in surprise.

“I’m…not sure what I think. I’ve mostly been raised with the idea that having more than one romantic partner is cheapening both relationships at best, cheating at worst.”  Cody’s eyebrows remained glued to his hairline. “I take it that’s not the case for clones?”

“No, not at all.” Cody shook his head. “It’s… What does it matter how many people you love? I mean, some circles only have two brothers, but the usual number is four or five, and eight isn’t that uncommon.”

“ _Eight_ ,” Obi-Wan repeated.

“Two squads,” Cody shrugged.

“That must be difficult to fit onto a bed,” Obi-Wan said after a moment, trying for humour.

“A bed?” Cody frowned. He looked down at the bed they were lying on, then a look of dawning realization spread over his face. “Obi-Wan…you’ve been to Kamino. You’ve seen our pods there. You know what clone quarters look like on a cruiser and in the barracks.” He grinned. “The first time I had sex on a bed – the first time I was _on_ a bed large enough for that – was with you. We clones usually do it standing up or on few pillows, if we can find them. Circles aren’t determined by how many people you can fit on a _bed_.”

Obi-Wan was caught between a slew of absolutely filthy mental images, and the disconcerting feeling that the ‘austere’ Jedi lifestyle was nothing of the sort when compared to how clones were raised.

* * *

 

“Ahsoka,” Obi-Wan greeted her as the door to the Healer’s office slid open.  “I’m glad you could make it.”

“It’s good to see you on your feet. Sort of on your feet,” she amended, glancing at the crutches as she entered.

“I’m supposed to go easy on the ankle for a few days more,” he glared half-heartedly at the crutches leaning against the ordinary chair he sat in. “It was these or the float-chair.”

“Oh, the horror,” Ahsoka said, smothering a grin.

“Ahsoka, this is Healer Omi Lest. She’s in charge of Anakin’s recovery.

Ahsoka had never been slow to put things together. “Do I get to see Anakin?”

“Healer Lest, this is Ahsoka Tano, Anakin’s former padawan,” Obi-Wan continued, and Ahsoka grinned sheepishly.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Tano,” Healer Lest said, giving a small bow from behind her desk.

“And you, Healer Lest,” Ahsoka said, returning the bow and dropping into the other chair. 

“To answer your question: Maybe.”

“’Maybe?’” Ahsoka repeated, dismayed. She looked automatically to Obi-Wan.

“You didn’t think having Anakin see me was advisable either, at first,” Obi-Wan reminded Lest.

“Skywalker doesn’t associate you with abandonment, Master Kenobi.” Lest countered. “Given Skywalker’s-“

“I didn’t abandon him!” Ahsoka broke in.

“You left,” Lest said bluntly. “Regardless of why you did it, or the validity of it, it still means that I am…hesitant about reintroducing you.”

“You didn’t do anything wrong,” Obi-Wan added.  “You made the best choice for yourself, and I know that I’m happy you were able to do what you needed to.”

That took some of the defensive hunch from Ahsoka’s shoulders. “Then…why couldn’t I see him?”

Obi-Wan and Lest shared a look. “Anakin is….fragile, at the moment,” Obi-Wan admitted.

“He’s still injured?”

“In a way.  It’s not his body that’s hurt it’s…” Damn, there was no way to cushion the blow. “Healer Lest is a mindhealer. Anakin is emotionally unsteady at the moment, because he- He Fell to the Dark side during the fight against Dooku.”

“What?” Ahsoka squawked. “That’s impossible! Anakin would _never_ -“

“He Fell,” Obi-Wan repeated, harsher than he meant to be, but flashes of the horrible fights on the _Invisible Hand_ kept intruding at the edges of his mind.  His heart ached all over again. “I am alive now, maybe we are _all_ alive now, because of the choice he made. Because of the _sacrifice_ he made.”

“He’s not dead yet,” Lest reminded him gently.

“No, he’s not,” Obi-Wan agreed. “He _is_ recovering.”  He took a steadying breath. “So, I’ve discussed it with Healer Lest, and with her agreement, we’ve decided to try it. If you still want to, that is.”

“I- Yes, of course!”

“Tano, take a moment to think it over,” Lest cautioned.

“I want to see Anakin,” Ahsoka said, voice firm.

“Very well,” Obi-Wan said. “I’ll talk to Anakin about it today. If he agrees, you can see him tomorrow.”

* * *

 

Of course Anakin agreed. The sheer joy on both their faces when they saw each other made Obi-Wan dare to hope that he’d made the right choice. Ahsoka didn’t flinch from Anakin or show disgust, and Anakin seemed so much like his old self that Obi-Wan found himself watching their conversation with quiet, aching joy. 

Obi-Wan wanted everything to be right again, but he didn’t blind himself to the small signs – the tension at the edges of Anakin’s mouth, the slight tightening of the shoulders. Anakin was flagging.

Obi-Wan pushed away from the wall he’d been leaning against. “Well, I hate to break this up,” he said as the conversation hit a pause. “But it has been almost two hours.”

“It has?” Ahsoka blurted out, surprised.

“Indeed. Perhaps we should wrap it up for the day.”

Ahsoka nodded, rising from her seat. “I guess-“

Anakin stood up too, his smile gone strained.  His hand shot out to catch Ahsoka by the wrist. “Can’t she stay a little longer?” he asked, but the playful tone was brittle.

“She can come back tomorrow,” Obi-Wan said calmly.

“But she’s leaving,” Anakin said, anger starting to show through.

“Skyguy, you’re hurting me,” Ahsoka said, frowning as she tried to tug her arm free.

“Anakin, let go of her. She’ll come back-“

“No!” Anakin pulled Ahsoka closer, interposing himself between her and Obi-Wan. “I’m not letting you or the damn Council take her away again! She’s _mine_!”

“She is _not_ yours,” Obi-Wan kept his voice even, not wanting to escalate the situation.  “Would you force her to stay? Would you control where she goes and when?”

“I could!” Anakin yelled, his face twisted with anger.

“That’s not how you treat a friend, Anakin, that’s how you treat a slave.”  Obi-Wan’s heart clenched in his chest, but he let none of his dismay show on his face. What had he just _said_?

Anakin’s face when white with fury, and past his shoulder, Obi-Wan could make out Ahsoka’s pained grimace as Anakin’s grip on her wrist tightened. Obi-Wan’s feet settled instinctively into a better stance, even as he held Anakin’s gaze, not daring to back down.  The silence between them held for an interminable moment.

With a snarl, Anakin dropped Ahsoka’s wrist, almost shoving it away.  Turning away from Obi-Wan, Anakin stalked towards the wall.

Obi-Wan didn’t wait for Ahsoka to marshal her thoughts.  “Get out.” He glanced at her. “Now,” he added, voice hard.

Wide-eyed and more than a little confused and angry, she turned and left. Old habits or common sense, Obi-Wan didn’t know and didn’t care. He had bigger matters to take care of.

Anakin let out a hoarse yell and punched the wall.  His metal knuckles didn’t dent the wall, but at least he hadn’t broken any bones, either. Had Ahsoka seen that? She’d probably heard it. Didn’t matter.

Anakin crumpled, dropping down until he was kneeling at the base of the wall, forehead pressed into the cool duracrete. “What am I doing _wrong_?” he wailed, and Obi-Wan could hear the tears in his voice. “Why doesn’t anyone every stay?”

“Oh, Anakin,” Obi-Wan said softly.  He wanted nothing more than to fix this for Anakin, but he knew he couldn’t. He could only help Anakin fix it himself.  “I know it feels like that right now, but you know it’s the Dark side amplifying your emotions. You just have to work though it-“

Anakin twisted around to face Obi-Wan. “I thought I had it under control!” he half-shouted, anguish twisting his face. “Damnit, Obi-Wan, why can’t I–” he broke off, voice failing him.

Obi-Wan slid down the wall, coming to sit shoulder-to-shoulder with his brother. “You are getting better.”

“Bullshit.”

“You are. You’re not there yet, but you are improving.” Obi-Wan looked at Anakin, taking in the unhappy twist of the mouth, the tense shoulders, the clenched hands. “I’m sorry.”

Anakin shot him a confused look. “You’re sorry I’m improving?”

Obi-Wan ran his last two sentences through his head again.  “No, not-  I’m sorry I can’t help more. I- I’ve always tried to be the best master I could, but…” he trailed off, the weight of everything settling heavy of his shoulders. “Was that even the right choice? I don’t know anymore.”

“I thought this,” Anakin waved one hand to encompass the room, “was about my fuckups, not yours.”

It was a weak attempt at humour, but it made Obi-Wan’s heart ache. “But how much of that did I exacerbate? Did I fail you?”

Anakin scowled. “Oh come one. You’re the perfect Jedi, stop trying to make this your fault.”

“But I’m not!” Obi-Wan burst out. “I was a few years younger than you are now when Naboo happened.  And here suddenly I had a padawan. Qui-Gon’s last- last wish was that I train you. Your entry had been so contested, and I didn’t have anyone to ask for help because I was afraid that if I asked for help I’d be showing that I couldn’t handle training a padawan and they’d take you away from me and I’d be failing you and Qui-Gon and-” Obi-Wan bit down on the flow of words, making himself take a breath. “I always tried to be perfect – the perfect Jedi, the perfect Master – for you. Because I _knew_ I was the main influence you’d have, the most exposure to a single Jedi. I _had_ to set a good example. I had to be perfect.” He let out a bark of harsh laughter. “I’m not. If Falling to the Dark could have saved Qui-Gon’s life, I would have done it.”

“No way-“

“I almost did anyway,” Obi-Wan kept going, talking over Anakin. “In that fight with Maul, in that room. I came so close to falling. _So_ close.” Old hurt and loss clawed at his throat. “I have a temper. I never show it to you, but if Qui-Gon hadn’t taken me as his padawan, it would have gotten me thrown out of the Order.”  Anakin stared at him in shock.  Obi-Wan swallowed.  “You are one of the best people I know. One of the best _Jedi_.  None of us are perfect. And now I wonder if I did you so much more harm than good by letting you think that I _was_.” He swiped at the moisture in his eyes.

Anakin shook his head. “No, Obi-Wan, there are things…things you don’t know about me. I-“ he stopped short, glancing at a corner of the ceiling.

Force. They were being recorded. No. This was too important. “Come on,” Obi-Wan said, grabbing Anakin by the arm and pulling him upright, leading him towards the door.

“Wha- Obi-Wan! I can’t leave the room.”

Obi-Wan turned and looked Anakin straight in the eye. “Give me your word you’ll come back after this.”

“Of course but-“

The door slid open, revealing Healer Lest. “Master Kenobi, when I allowed you visitation privileges-“

“Your job is to heal Anakin. You know how important communication is.  I promised Anakin that he could tell me anything. Your presence – the surveillance – is inhibiting that. I’ll bring him back when we’re done.” He gave her his best “move or I’ll move you” stare.

“If you were anyone except his master…” Lest scowled.

“But I am. He’ll come back, he’s given me his word.”

“This is against my better judgement,” she said at last.

Obi-Wan nodded and moved past her, Anakin in his wake. Maybe now he could start to get to the bottom of this.


End file.
